1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the straightening of leads of leaded components, particularly leaded packaged semiconductor components for mounting on circuit boards.
2. Related Art
With increasing density of devices, such as large scale integrated circuits or chips, the number of leads has increased but the actual size of the circuit or chip has not increased to the same extent. The width of the individual leads and the spacing between the leads has decreased. Lead widths and spacing of 0.025 inches is now common, that is, a 0.050 inch pitch.
The leads are quite fragile. At the same time, the leads must be straight and parallel. The components are usually surface mounted, which requires that contact pads be formed in the circuit of the circuit board at very precise positions and with very closely controlled dimensions. The bottom ends of the leads must align accurately with the contact pads.
It is very easy for one or more leads to become bent or otherwise displaced. The packaged components are often supplied and stored stacked in tubes. If a tube is dropped, then depending on how it is dropped, all the leads on one side of each component can become displaced. Because of the difficulty in moving the leads back into a correct position, it has been customary to scrap those components which have displaced leads.